Thursday, November 22, 2012

We Are Happy Now....

Now that we're together again!!

I don't know if there as ever been a baby that smiles as easy as Charlotte!


Oh yeah, there was one once!



Or maybe Grandpa just has a secret smile formula.


 Uncle Zac with a heavy heart needed a little extra smile today.


This Nana was relieved that Isaac had a common childhood illness and not some exotic Bonehunter's disease!


This was certainly the warmest football game we have had in many years!


Yeah, I got Dave in an action shot in his action football uniform with those action football gloves!





Waiting for the big play--or there goes the big play-not sure which!


 Here comes Trouble, with a capital T!


The cheerleaders--and Luke was not the least bit happy about being sidelined.


It wasn't until I posted this that I realized we "misplaced" Andy--(but Chelsea was there unlike the last family portrait!)


The kids table is all growed up!


Snapchatting--I am worried about this new app!


Everyone plotting their Black Friday, only in this case it started on Thursday....(and after seeing the Instagram pictures of the chaos--I threw the rest of the ads in the fireplace)


Chloe doubles as a pillow and rug!


Heather stepping up a family photographer--she promised not to blog the picture of me she was taking!



We can simply not get enough Charlotte pictures!


And finally, in honor of Thanksgiving, Andy brought his "No-Shave November" to a close!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our family members who we did not see today. Know that you were  here in our hearts--we have held each other a little closer this week. So many friends and family are in our thoughts and prayers at this time.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

This is the House that Love Built!


This week Andy and Co. moved into their new clubhouse and oh what a place it is. When we opened the door, the tears just kept coming....I can't even type this without welling up again!
 Even the front door puts a smile on my face. It is perfect--just perfect in every way!


Each little nook, each little cranny just overflows with love and also everyone's favorites!

 Beau smiling brightly in front of  the beautiful, gorgeous, sparkling kitchen....and it is theirs. Their dishwasher to unload, their table to set, their meal to enjoy....and I love that before each meal they toast their great lives!
 A huge backyard, concrete is about to be poured for a patio and barbeque, a garden plot and a lawn to mow!

Kathy, Dane's mom and Dane--"In this very room, there is quite enough love for everyone!"


And the real reason I tear up when I walk through the door is that this home, this Friend's Clubhouse is a lesson to me of the power of a dream, the power of prayer and faith and hope and friendship and the power of good women who want to make a difference. I have shared my heart with these ladies and in deep, late-night conversations we have shared our souls and struggles and hopes. Kathy and Stacy have been surrogate mothers to Andy and love him like he was their own--and in more ways than one he is their own. I have learned to trust more, believe deeper and laugh harder because of this wonderful experience. FriendsClubhouse  is about more than just the adults who attend each day. It has catered to my special needs too!